On the Oceans of Eternity
|Next_book = }}This is the third book of the 'Nantucket' trilogy and describes the progress of the war against the psychotic William Walker and his allies. Kar-Duniash Babylon, September, 10 AE (After the Event) Justin Clemens explains to his fiancee Azzu-ena where the Nantucketers come from. (Ch.1) Captain Vicky Cofflin climbs to the observation post of RNAS Emancipator. Colonel Kathryn Hollard, Queen of Kar-Duniash, is there. They discuss Princess Raupasha of Mitanni, who cut the King of Assyria's throat before being rescued by Brigadier Kenneth Hollard. After subordinating her kingdom to Kar-Duniash, Raupasha promised her hand in marriage to Kenneth, unintentionally threatening political stability between Nantucket, Mitanni and Kar-Duniash. (Ch.2) Justin Clemens and Azzu-ena go to her uncle in order to marry according to local custom. (Ch.7) King Kashtiliash cheers up when the commander of his New Troops arrives and declares that a tribe of Aramaeans is destroyed, trapped between camelborne troops and the new infantry. Kashtiliash asks his merchants to research and set out a breeding program for camels. The Hollards with Princess Raupasha set off to see the king. Kenneth stands up to Kashtiliash, and Raupasha apologises; Mittanni will remain a province of Kar-Duniash. Kashtiliash allows forgiveness - once. (Ch.8) Raupasha demonstrates 200 new Islander-designed chariots and weapons to her men. (Ch. 10) Troy September, 10 AE Ian Arnstein makes policy decisions by radio from besieged Troy. Major Chong shows him the progress of the enemy trenches and tells Ian that they are running out of time. (Ch.10) October, 10AE Walker's men have broken into the city, the Islanders must leave. As they do so, they are attacked by a group of Alice Hong's female Ninjas. Arnstein is left for dead, as RNAS Emancipator makes an emergency lift to remove the last Islander troops. Arnstein is handed to Walker, who sends him on to Odikweos in Achaea. Ian is escorted by a group of soldiers, who chat amongst themselves. Ian listens, adding new intelligence to what the Islanders know and guess. (Ch.11) O'Rourke's Ford, East of Troy September, 10 AE Colonel Patrick O'Rourke arrives at a Nantucket Forward Supply Post run by Captain Barnes. Troy is expected to fall, his orders are to evacuate. Unfortunately the enemy Ringapi move faster than expected. The Ringapi have brought a mortar with them. O'Rourke decides to take it out. His Gatling makes short work of both mortar crew and ammunition wagon, but then his team must cut their way back through Ringapi racing to cut them off. (Ch.2) O'Rourke and Barnes turn the Supply Post into a defensive position, using existing walls, sandbags, ditches, sacks of barley, and boxes of hard tack. (Anyone who has ever seen the British film Zulu can stop reading at this point, and move to the next chapter summary - Ed.) (Ch.3) Private Hook is in hospital malingering when O'Rourke's Gatling opens fire. (Ch.6) At breakfast, O'Rourke discusses defences with Captain Barnes and a Hittite officer, Hantilis, when they hear what sounds like a steam engine in the distance. Up on a hillside, sentries hear the same noise, and hurry back to base with the news that an army of thousands is on its way. (Ch.7) Bugles sound Stand To ''and the company fixes bayonets. Chaplain Smith, an Iraiina, quotes scripture to raise the troops' morale. The enemy surround the base, and the steam-engine noise is explained by the tribesmen beating their spears against shields. Private Hook is betting with cards when troops arrive, with orders to dig loopholes in the hospital walls. (Ch.8) The Marines repel the first charge. Hantilis spots the Ringapi chief counting the guns. The Ringapi move into forward attack positions, and snipers open fire from the nearest hillside. (Ch.10) Hook opens fire from the hospital window as the tribesmen launch an attack on all sides. (Ch.11) The Ringapi finally break the outer wall on their tenth attack, but the Marines retire, form ranks and fire volleys into the tight-packed tribesmen. The Marines retake the wall just as the Gatling overheats and a round explodes in the chamber. (Ch.11) O'Rourke decides the perimeter is too large, and arranges a smaller redoubt. He cannot spare anyone to rescue those in the hospital. Hook, realising he, personally, is trapped, sets some patients digging the wall into the next room so he can get out. As the attackers break in the patients dive through, leaving Hook as rear guard. Hook snaps, and destroys his attackers before rejoining his group. O'Rourke's Marines pull back to the redoubt. Captain Barnes is in charge of two ranks of rifles which appear and shoot over the heads of their colleagues. Now four ranks fire and reload at the confined ranks of Ringapi, who run or die. The following morning, the Ringapi have still not attacked. The rest of the regiment comes into sight, led by Brigadier Hollard, attracted by the smoke and the flag still flying over the outpost. Hollard orders assistance, then tells the outpost to burn everything and retreat. (Ch.13) Hattusas, Hatti-land (Modern Turkey) September, 10AE Doreen rides an ornate waggon into Hattusas, accompanied by Ken Hollard. Ken shocks her by pointing out how to destroy the place. They meet King Tudhaliyas and Queen Zuduhepa and discuss their strategy for destroying Walker's army. Unfortunately, this means withdrawal and a scorched-earth policy until Walker's army outreaches its supplies and starves. (Ch.10) October, 10AE Doreen, and Raupasha wait for news from Troy when ''RNAS Emancipator comes into view. Doreen worries about the lack of messages. (Ch.11) Raupasha makes a rousing speech to her re-equipped charioteers; their task is the important one of destroying enemy supply lines. Her troops now have rocket grenades, shotguns, muskets and aerial scouting, and take to the task with glee. (Ch.14) November, 10 AE O'Rourke explains to a group of complaining soldiers that they may be retreating, but they have food and the enemy does not. (Ch.16) Doreen explains to Brigadier Hollard that she is cautiously optimistic about Ian's fate: her sources, different from Ian's, have not told her anything untoward. (Ch.19) Nantucket October, 10 AE Jared Cofflin and his wife Martha are looking after Marian and Swindapa's adopted children as well as their own.(Ch.1) Jared, Sam Macy and Emma Carson discuss immigration quotas and the fate of the clipper ship Merrimac, bought by Carson but requisitioned by the Council. Jared guesses Carson was trying to avoid the quotas by taking possession of the ship in Alba, where she would also hire a cheaper crew. (Ch.2) Jared and Joseph Starbuck discuss how to pay for the war, and what to do with the survivors. Cofflin then sails to Long Island with his family and Alston's daughters. (Ch.14) They land on an estate owned by Ken Hollard's elder brother and look at the abandoned farm next to his: Marian Alston will be buying it from her prize money. (Ch.16) Alba October 10 AE Marian Alston and her partner Swindapa lead mounted Marines to Irondale. The town has grown since 4 AE. They stop at an inn run by an ex cadet. (Ch.1) They meet Councillor Ron Leaton who is setting up a version of the Industrial Revolution. They talk through some problems with Marian's Merrimac project, and discuss persuading Alban farm labourers to work machinery all day. (Ch.2) Marian travels the Severn River to Westhaven, where Merrimac is waiting. She watches an Alban-built deep-ocean ship set sail and reflects on Alban progress. (Ch.4) She leaves the Alban end of her supply chain in the hands of Gerta Hendriksson. (Ch.6) Merrimac joins Marian's fleet of thirty ships gathering at Portsmouth Base to embark troops - Alban volunteers, issued with Islander kit. Swindapa greets an Iraiina leader politely, explaining to Marian that the Iraiina are Anglicising themselves and will vanish in a generation: Her revenge on them will be complete. Marian watches the troops embarking and reflects on the society that might emerge. (Ch.7) The fleet is caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay. The steam ramship Farragut reports damage, and Severna Park, a collier, and Merrimac are not heard from. Next day, Merrimac radios for help, and Marian heads the fleet that way. Merrimac is dismasted, with only a junior officer in command. (Ch.10) Greater Achaea Walkeropolis, September, 10AE William Walker stands with his wife Alice Hong and Helmut Mittler his Secret Police chief, looking over his city of Walkeropolis. He decides he needs a victory to seal his claim to the throne of Achaea. He must go to the seige at Troy. (Ch.1) Walker hands Greater Achaea to Odikweos while he is at war. Mittler is to feed information to Odikweos. (Ch.8) Carpathian Mountains, November, 10AE Ohotolarix is in charge of the mountain stronghold of Fort Lolo, watching a train of slaves and refined metals set off to Walkeropolis. A wagon train is sighted, led by Walker's daughter, Althea. She bears news of the downfall of Troy, and brings rewards for Ohotolarix, who holds a feast in honour. (Ch.11) Neayoruk, October, 10AE Ian Arnstein disembarks with his escort. Mittler is waiting for him, but Odikweos intervenes and has Arnstein taken to his town house instead. (Ch.14) Iberia City of Tartessos, September, 10 AE Isketerol receives an embassy from Greater Achaea on the day that the King 'weds' the Lady of Tartessos in a religious ceremony to bring the rains. Odikweos, King of Ithaka, and Telemakhos his son, bring the good wishes of William Walker and a gift of eighty Dahlgren type guns, manganese, and sulphur, in exchange for cotton and mercury. (Ch.4) Corunna, October, 10 AE Marian's fleet gathers at what would be La Coruna, resting and repairing. They are short two ships. She holds a Captain's Meeting to discuss strategy, leaving some of her injured troops behind to start a new base. (Ch.11,16) Tartessos, October, 10 AE Marian Alston has light aircraft scouting Tartessos while she sets out her plans for a base at what-would-be Cadiz. King Isketerol is sitting in judgement when Alston's fleet arrives. (Ch.18) Marian launches her fleet into an attack: Her initial advantage is lost because the Tartessans have rearmed with eight-inch Dahlgren guns, but she realises her ships fire twice as fast as the Tartessans. Her ships close to boarding distance.(Ch.19) American Continent Feather River Valley, March, 11AE Alantethol, leader of the Tartessian Hidden Fort, discusses the smallpox epidemic on the last ship to arrive. His healer recognised the disease and the cows at the base are now a source of vaccine. Alantethol sees this as an advantage over the native Americans - he can vaccinate or supply smallpox-loaded blankets as required. (Ch.5) Giernas expedition, High Sierras, March, 11AE Peter Giernas and Sue Chau his wife hunt and return with meat to their camp where Eddie Vergaraxsson, Jaditwara, and Spring Indigo, Peter's second wife from the Cloud Shadow tribe, are waiting. Indigo has Peter's year-old son, Jared. Also present is Tidtaway, a local guide and 'interpreter' as he can talk some of the local languages. Peter thinks they are at the edge of Titdaway's ability. The group carry on to the next tribe. The camp is quiet, and Giernas investigates. The entire tribe is dead of a disease which he recognises as smallpox. He burns the bodies, the camp, even his clothes. Almost finished, he spots a single hoof print from a shod horse. (Ch.5) Pete investigates, discovering a fortified settlement of Tartessians, he estimates they have been there about four years. Pete talks to a local tribal chief: The Tartessians are collecting gold, and taking slaves to mine mercury ore. He learns that the Tartessians offer protection against disease, using a cow. He comes up with a plan. (Ch.9) Feather River Valley, April 11AE An armed Tartessian column is on a "tax collection" raid when armed natives appear in front. The Tartessians prepare to swat the locals, unaware that another group, led by Giernas, is off to their side. Giernas' simple tactics destroy the Tartessian column. Giernas captures a woman healer and the cow she uses as a vaccine source. Next stop is to train the locals and attack the Tartessian fort. (Ch.12) Spring Indigo argues her way into scouting the fort for Pete, returning to sit at the Council Fire and report. On the basis of her report Pete decides on a waterborne assault, amazing the local indians by the speed he turns trees into four canoes with rudders. In the meantime their guide Tidtaway trains others to load and fire muskets. One hundred warriors are eventually in the assault force. (Ch.17) Egypt Pi-Rameses, September, 10AE George McAndrews, known as Mek-Andrus, has set himself up as somewhat despised foreign aide to Pharoah, having introduced dentistry, anaesthetics, iron, watermills, muskets and cannon. He has married one of Pharoah's gifts to him, and has recruited most of his support from slaves - men of colour. He is under no illusions though, and negotiates a place of safety with one of the what-will-be-Ethiopian tribal chiefs. As he sees it, if there is no Black Empire for Marian Alston to raise up, there is nothing to stop him from creating one of his own. (Ch.15) 03